A safety hazard exists in certain forms of circuit breakers in that if the breaker blade contacts should fuse together, then the tripping mechanism on overload will still respond, typically driving the reset handle to a center position indicative of tripping, while the breaker still remains in a circuit-completing or closed contact condition.
Systems are known, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,356, which provide in the form of a modular accessory a position-indicating switch coupled directly to the movement of an electrical circuit breaker contactor. The systems provide sensing conditions indicative of the contact condition of the breaker, thus providing means for warning the user that the breaker has not, in fact, been effectively tripped in the event that the blades have become welded shut. In this system such a switch is coupled to be actuated directly by movement of the contactor element itself.
Additionally, in many cases it is desirable to provide a remote-tripping feature for a breaker whereby a remote operator can operate the breaker to a tripped condition. Such mechanisms are also known, being frequently provided in modular form, and normally utilize a member which operates on the latching mechanism which holds the breaker in the reset condition. A unit which can be optionally affixed to a circuit breaker to achieve both functions, and requiring only a single coupling element, thereby reducing system complexity, would be a useful feature that has not, to the applicant's knowledge, been thus far produced.
The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.